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ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 17

V. WHAT MATTERS MOST

Tapping into the aggregate wisdom of the world’s best marketers, AIMM’s research into
organizational structure and related topics yielded actionable and specifi c insights. It also
established guidance and guardrails surrounding the “ecosystem” that one needs to have in
place for any given structure to succeed. Structures do not operate on their own. They require
understanding and upkeep from passionate, prepared participants acting with the brand’s best
interests in mind.

Regardless of which organizational approach a brand chooses for its Inclusive and
Multicultural marketing initiatives, it is important to assess whether that structure is designed
with purpose and supported by a solid framework made up of the “right ingredients.”

What are those ingredients?

Let’s start with Expertise. Is your structure supported by team members with the expertise to
truly realize your business and brand goals, maximizing key segments opportunities effi ciently
and effectively?

Remember: a single or “token” Multicultural marketing “expert” may be a recipe for failure.
To take full advantage of Multicultural marketing, a company will want to have Multicultural
marketing strengths across disciplines (traditional, digital and social media, creative, account
management, experiential, production, etc.). This means tapping into experts who not only
have an in-depth understanding of diverse cultural segments, but who also know how to
leverage that expertise across distinct marketing disciplines.

One might work with internal or external resources, or a combination of the two. It is
important to remember to evaluate the real expertise of every team member. Cultural
expertise is not a birthright. Marketers are made, not born — regardless of personal
background, all professionals must learn how to become Inclusive and Multicultural
marketers. That said, marketers from diverse cultural communities are likely to provide
richer, more nuanced understandings and insights than those who lack cultural fl uency.

Expertise is useful throughout all stages of a culturally attuned marketing process, from
strategy planning and creative execution to media and promotions. Even production benefi ts
from Inclusive and Multicultural marketing expertise when it comes to everything from
casting to identifying diverse vendors.

It’s worth noting that over the past decade, some companies have started to link Multicultural
marketing to their Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, tapping into employee resource groups